Shipping industry hailed on Liverpool2 visit

The “vital role” played by the shipping industry has been hailed by transport minister John Hayes on a visit to the £300m Liverpool2 Development, where he also heard about the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

The minister heard a presentation from Peel Ports, which is spearheading the development, on transport integration in the region, including infrastructure improvements to reduce unnecessary road and rail miles, coastal shipping and the Manchester Ship Canal, and connectivity via the Irish Sea.

Hayes said the “vital role” that the shipping industry plays is “invisible to most of us”.

“But it’s crucial neither to under-estimate or under value its importance as part of our maritime sector, which overall generates more than £8bn for the economy each year,” added Hayes.

“Integrated transport infrastructure is essential for that industry and so I am determined that we do everything possible to ensure our investment supports its continued growth, especially given the extra capacity that Liverpool2 will offer the supply chain, helping cargo owners to get their goods closer to destination markets.”

Mark Whitworth, chief executive of Peel Ports, said: “Given our proximity to the majority of the population and our record as one of the leading ports in the UK, we are in an excellent position to support the ongoing economic recovery by helping the supply chain to trade more efficiently.

“As the minister heard during his visit, we are increasingly attracting interest from companies looking to improve their efficiencies by taking cargo north to Liverpool.”

The Liverpool2 investment will create the most central deep water container terminal in Great Britain and will offer companies ship-to-door access to the majority of UK consumers via most of the biggest container ships in the world.

The Port of Liverpool handles a diverse range of cargo, including bulk solids and liquids, RORO and containers.
Source: Insider Media